Iconic wedges from around the world in one exhibition. "The Wedge Revolution" pays homage to angular automotive masterpieces.
Wedge bodies are making a comeback – literally and figuratively. After years of dominance by streamlined forms, the world of automotive design is once again sharpening its blades. Those who love angular cars will certainly be interested in the latest exhibition in Los Angeles. In August 2025, "The Wedge Revolution" will open – an exhibition celebrating half a century of radical, geometric shapes.
After several decades of streamlined bodywork with nature-inspired curves, the time had come for a radical change. A wedge appeared in the crevice of fossilized design thought, and someone struck it so hard that it shattered. This someone was the renowned Marcello Gandini, the hammer the design revolution smoldering in his mind, and the wedge was the Alfa Romeo Carabo.
Cannara 1 / Petersen Automotive Museum press materialsThe innovative wedge-shaped bodywork was a shock to those who saw the prototype at the 1968 Paris Motor Show , but Gandini, unfamiliar with stylistic fear, was just getting started. He spent the next two years designing one of the most spectacular concept cars in history – the Lancia Stratos HF Zero. His greatest creation – the Lamborghini Coutach – debuted in 1974 and instantly became a design icon.
Lamborghini Countach / Petersen Automotive Museum press materialsCompeting with Bertone, for whom Gandini was working at the time, were other body shops: Pininfarina (with the shocking Ferrari Modulo) and Italdesign Giugiaro (with the phenomenal Maserati Boomerang) . All shared a similar design philosophy: a wedge-shaped body.
Over the next fifty years, the wedge motif regularly appeared on the design boards not only of the aforementioned Italian design offices, but also of commercial vehicle manufacturers, with the Cybertruck at the forefront.
Tesla Cybertruck / Petersen Automotive Museum press materialsThe Los Angeles-based Petersen Automotive Museum plans to celebrate the most interesting wedge-shaped cars with an exhibition in August and September called "The Wegde Revolution."
Visitors can expect gems such as the reconstructed Cannara 1 from 1966 (yes, it was the first car of this shape, but it went unnoticed for many years and was never seen by the general public at that time), the previously mentioned Lancia Stratos HF Zero and the Lamborghini Countach in the LP400 "Periscopio" version.
Aston Martin Bulldog / Petersen Automotive Museum press materialsThe Americans will be represented by the experimental Chevrolet Aerovette and the electric AMC Amitron, while the British will be represented by the unique Aston Martin Bulldog.
The most wedge-shaped of wedges will be the Lo-Res Car, where you can't even see the wheels. Real-world cars related to motorsport (the Lancia Stratos Stradale) and utility vehicles (the Tesla Cybertruck) will also be featured.
The opening reception will take place on August 2, 2025, at the Petersen Automotive Museum headquarters in Los Angeles.
